Remember the Name
by Mitsuru Aki
Summary: Trowa Barton, company executive. Heero Yuy, newly hired professional computer hacker. When their worlds collide, the impossible becomes truth and Heero is forced to accept things he didn't even believe existed. AU, 1x3, one-sided 2x5, 1 and 2-centric.
1. Full Moon

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. I just use them like actors in a movie and I claim no rights at all to them.

Warning: Language, shonen-ai, yaoi, supernaturalness, maybe some OOc-ness (it's impossible to avoid since I'm not the creator of GW).

Summary: Trowa Barton, company executive. Heero Yuy, newly hired professional computer hacker. When their worlds collide, the impossible becomes truth and Heero is forced to accept things he didn't even believe existed. And strangely enough, everything seems to revolve around his new employer's younger brother...AU, 1x3, one-sided 2x5, 1 and 2-centric.

Author's Note: Something new! This will have a little supernatural feel to it, but hopefully it'll flow pretty smoothly. And the main characters are all aged twenty or older, so there. I got this general idea from a trilogy I read, the author's name I don't remember. I borrowed the title from Fort Minor's song of the same name; I love that song! Leave me your opinions and thoughts; it takes less time to leave a review than you think! Thank you. Oh, and I'm debating whether or not to put 2x5 together at the end. What do you think?

Once again edited and being reposted. I'm actually really fond of this story, which is why I've decided to start reposting it. And I've opened a poll on my profile to see what you want me to update next, so go vote! And today is Election Day, so all you of age people go out and make your voice heard!

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Remember the Name

By: Mitsuru Aki

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Chapter One: Full Moon

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The green-eyed man sitting across from him watched him silently. His gaze was distant and stoic, but that didn't unnerve Heero at all. It rather reminded him of himself.

Trowa Barton.

Currently the most powerful person in Ryojou, he was not someone to be trifled with. As the President and CEO of the Homeland Intelligence and Security Agency, no one disputed that he, not the local government, was in charge. Despite the sound of his company's name, it was not part of the government. Often, it worked in conjecture with city authorities, but HISA was privately owned and operated. It worked on its own funds, and its employees worked there for life. Once you were hired, there was no backing out.

There had been stories, several years ago, of an employee who just packed up and left with no warning at all; just vanished during the night. The man was dead within thirty-six hours. Newspapers from a town two hundred miles away reported the murder with blaring headlines.

Rumor had it that Trowa Barton himself tracked down his wayward cryptologist and disposed of him. There was no actual evidence of this, however. The death was eventually filed as an "accidental suicide".

Even so, no rumors were going to stop one Heero Yuy from applying for a job at the most coveted company in the job market. But none of the rumors had stated how…well…_young_ the head of the company was.

The interview was simply held at an outdoor café, late in the evening. If it was strange to see four men wearing suits, two sitting and two standing, at a small table and not helping the café's business at all, no one said anything. The café wasn't particularly busy since it was approaching seven-thirty and the moon was already starting to appear from behind a slightly cloudy sky.

Full moon tonight.

Two men in black suits and dark glasses with heavy-duty guns at their waists stood about four feet behind Trowa's chair, faces serious. One was average height, slender with blond hair. He couldn't possibly be any older than Heero himself. The other man on Trowa's left, however, dwarfed everyone else there. His skin was dark and his hair and beard even darker. He was plainly of Middle Eastern descent. The two were nearly complete opposites.

There were two snipers on nearby buildings, too. Heero Yuy didn't miss these kinds of things. Years in the military taught him from experience that failing to notice such things could cost you your life.

Finally, Trowa Barton spoke, steepling his fingers. "If you get this job…do you understand your term of service?"

"Yes."

"I interview all potential employees myself, Mr. Yuy. Many of them claim to understand, but when times get stressful, _there is no leaving._" His voice was soft, but there was something in it that captured your attention easily.

"I know," Heero said calmly. "I cannot quit my job. Working other jobs under your employment is not allowed. If my work is inadequate, I will have my salary cut. But I can't be fired under any circumstances."

Trowa raised his only visible eyebrow and folded his hands on the table. Then he nodded. "You've done your research," he said, an interested light entering his eyes. He slid Heero's resume out of the folder next to his hands. "Your computer skills are impressive."

Heero watched and waited, his eyes fixed on Trowa's face. Green eyes moved slowly down the page, occasionally pausing.

"I think I could use a man like you, Mr. Yuy."

Trowa's voice snapped Heero out of his semi-out-of-it state.

Green eyes regarded Heero seriously. "Unless you have any questions or concerns, Mr. Yuy, I'm going to offer you a job. You're hired."

Heero felt every muscle in his body relax marginally at that simple statement.

HISA's CEO and President slid four papers across the table to Heero. "Your signature, please."

Heero swiftly read over the forms, despite the other man's polite command. He wasn't going to sign his name to just anything. The Japanese man returned them to Trowa when he was finished, their fingers touching briefly.

Trowa slid the forms into Heero's folder and stood, so Heero did the same. He held out a hand to his new employee for him to shake. The blue-eyed man shook it firmly, holding Trowa's eyes.

"I apologize for rescheduling your interview so late," Trowa said as he pushed in his chair. "I'm afraid I couldn't miss that meeting…"

Heero nodded. "It wasn't a problem." _I still got the job._

Trowa glanced at his watch. "Report to the front desk at six-thirty. I'll have someone—"

"_This is ten percent luck and twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will—"_

Trowa's face suddenly blanked out in annoyance.

"—_five percent pleasure and fifty percent pain—"_

"Please excuse me. I'll see you tomorrow, Mr. Yuy." He said curtly, turning away. Heero nodded and returned his chair to its original place. He turned and made his way to the street.

"_And a hundred percent reason to remember the name—"_

HISA's CEO finally flicked open his phone as his bodyguards waited patiently behind him. The smaller one spoke quietly into a mouthpiece clipped to his ear.

"The ringtone." Trowa said before the other person could utter a greeting.

The person on the other end of the line asked a short question.

"You changed it."

Trowa tried not to roll his eyes at the response, instead watching passersby. The caller continued to talk and the CEO looked at the sky, searching for where the moon was hiding behind heavy cloud cover.

"And you're headed there now?"

An affirmative.

"You're late." It was not a comment; it was stated as a fact.

Another long-winded excuse that Trowa decided to cut short. "Don't get caught in the open; don't go anywhere else. I'll pick you up later. Same place." He ended the call and turned to his bodyguards. "Let's go."

The other two men walked him to his car, not saying a word. Trowa sat between them in the backseat of the luxury vehicle created specially for HISA, or more specifically, the CEO. A nameless driver slowly pulled out into the light traffic.

"What did you think of him, Quatre?"

The shortest man there removed his dark glasses to reveal startlingly blue eyes. Serious blue eyes. "In what way? I mean, he seemed like a nice enough guy…"

"HISA."

"Oh. Well…it doesn't really matter, does it?" The blond said quietly. "He hacked into our databases. We don't have a choice."

Trowa nodded, glancing briefly at Quatre.

Quatre was watching his hands in his lap. "If he'd gone much farther we would have had to remove him."

"He will be useful," Trowa agreed. He ignored the last part. It would have been such a shame to do that, even if it was true. "Do you approve?"

"I suppose."

"And the Lican Project?"

"_No._" Quatre said instantly, glaring at Trowa. "That's too dangerous for a new employee."

"We need his hacking skills, Quatre."

"NO." The blond crossed his arms determinedly. "He hasn't even had his first day yet. _Absolutely_ not."

Trowa observed him from under his hair as they turned onto the main boulevard. Quatre stared resolutely back.

"Very well," Trowa conceded after a moment's pause. "We'll see how he does. I'll keep an eye on him."

Quatre's face broke into a relieved smile. He sighed and slumped in his seat. "Thank you, Trowa."

"If I may, Master Quatre?" The man on Trowa's right inquired.

"Yes, Rashid?" The blond responded, leaning forward to see past Trowa.

"I understand you wish to help him, Master Barton," Rashid began gently, placing a large hand on the brunette's shoulder, "but this is something you shouldn't rush. Right now, trust is even more important than skill."

Quatre nodded in agreement. "We need to take this one step at a time."

Trowa leaned his head back to stare at the roof of the car, a faint, sad smile lingering around his mouth. "Of course."

"Trowa…" Quatre said softly, a depressed expression that can only be born of helplessness taking control of his features.

"No, you're right," Trowa interrupted him, crossing his arms and staring straight ahead. "We've got time."

End of discussion.

The blue-eyed man shifted in his seat and glanced out the car window, a smear of dark brown hair flashing by.

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Heero walked swiftly down the sidewalk, ignoring both other pedestrians hurrying home and the chilly wind that had sprung up two minutes ago.

The interview had gone better than he'd thought it would. Although maybe he shouldn't have recited all that information. Trowa Barton wasn't the least bit stupid; the man would know he'd hacked into HISA's systems. HISA didn't exactly advertise the fine print of their hiring requirements. But that's exactly what guaranteed him a job.

He turned a corner off of Main Street and onto Park Avenue. At the far end of Park Avenue was Lunar Park, established by a group of astronomers who'd petitioned the local government for a place for locals to stargaze and learn about the constellations, away from the hubbub of daily life and the light pollution from downtown. The government refused, claiming it was unnecessary and would cost too much money.

Then Trowa Barton paid the mayor of Ryojou a little visit.

Construction began the following day, which, of course, made Trowa a hero in the eyes of astronomers everywhere. The park didn't benefit HISA in any way, so Ryojou's citizens were relieved to find someone in power who was generous and was capable of looking beyond the interests of his own company.

The park itself was only dimly lit at night to prevent light pollution, keeping the stars clearly visible, and because it backed up to National Forest land.

Heero passed under the archway into the park and followed the path as it made an immediate right. It cut through wide open grassland, curved around trees and signs explaining star formations and other astrological terms. Heero picked up his pace and debated whether or not to remove his suit coat jacket.

The wind suddenly kicked up again, blowing his hair into his eyes. Whole tree limbs rocked back and forth and the long meadow grass rippled like an ocean during a storm. So he decided against it.

The trees gradually thickened into woodlands, and Heero was grateful the moon was completely visible to help light his way. The dim park lighting wasn't very useful for anything other than…well…it wasn't very useful.

The path abruptly turned left around a gigantic oak tree, so Heero moved to the inside to shorten the distance he had to walk. He just wanted to go home to his apartment, because he had a new job to get ready for, and it seemed like a storm was coming if the wind was any indication; he couldn't see the sky any more through the trees, and—

Heero stopped dead mid-step.

He knew there was wildlife in the park, all parks have some sort of animals in it, but he personally had never seen anything larger than a rabbit. Supposedly, there were wolves or coyotes or whatnot in the National Forest, but this was bordering on insanity.

He'd never seen a wolf before, unless it was on television, and certainly not one this size. At least three and a half feet at the shoulder, it was over two-thirds of Heero's height. Its fur was long, and a light brown color he'd never seen before, almost blonde in some places, but maybe that was the lack of lighting. The tail nearly brushed the ground, appearing light and feathery as the wind buffeted it every which way. Its back faced him, so he couldn't see all of it.

But it was blocking his path rather effectively.

Heero cautiously started breathing again.

This was a problem. He really didn't want to fight the local wolverine population for the right to follow the park path, but he'd come too far to make backtracking worthwhile. At this rate, the heavens would open and drench him before he reached Park Avenue. But he could do it, if he absolutely _had_ to. Because that was a _big_ animal.

Heero took a careful step back, keeping a watchful eye on the wolf thirty-five feet ahead of him.

The wolf turned its head to stare at him.

Heero froze.

They stood there and looked at each other, and Heero felt that something wasn't quite right, wasn't natural about this situation. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

A light flickered in those golden eyes—not amber; weren't wolves' eyes usually amber or brown or black or blue or something?—and it slowly bared strong, sharp teeth, growling ominously, moving—

Heero backtracked rapidly around the tree.

_Impossible._

He stood there staring blankly at the huge trunk of the oak tree, wondering if this was really happening to him. There wasn't _really_ an oversized, mutated wolf wandering the Park, right? That would have made local headlines. He couldn't possibly be the first to see it.

Right?

Heero looked back around the oak, a peculiar sensation creeping over his shoulders that had been absent for a long time. The uneasy kind.

The path was deserted.

Heero couldn't believe his eyes. Surely he wasn't going crazy…? He frowned; something wasn't right here.

But the path was clear now. Heero brushed his messy hair out of his eyes, watching the trees on either side of the walkway ahead. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear anything other than the roaring wind. Leaves were snatched violently from the trees and thrown into the darkness of the woods. Heero hesitated for a few seconds more before making his decision. He was not backtracking.

He moved quickly onto the path again, fully alert, completely determined to continue walking and not stop until he reached his apartment.

He was walking more rapidly than he'd been before, practically jogging and fighting gusts of wind that somehow forced its way between the trees. To his frustration, it was slow going: pretty much three steps forward and one and a half steps back. Heero was ready to abandon all dignity and just _run_ when his internal alarms went off, his instincts that had kept him alive in the Air Force screaming at him. He whirled around and his eyes caught sight of a brown blur streaking right for him, and damn was it moving fast.

That stupid wolf.

He didn't have enough time to dodge its attack, but he threw up an arm to protect his face, his other hand reaching back to the waistband of his trousers and closing on—nothing.

_Shit._

Heero Yuy was part of a small percentage of Ryojou's citizens with a concealed-carry weapon license. This allowed him to carry a gun on his person, hidden, of course, just about anywhere, except in places where it was forbidden to carry one, like the post office. The permit was in his wallet in his pocket.

The gun was at home, secure in his private safe because he'd decided not to bring it to his meeting with Trowa Barton, since arriving armed and dangerous to an interview with your heavily guarded future employer was generally not smiled upon. It was the first time he'd gone anywhere without it in three years.

Boy did he regret that choice now.

The animal barreled into him with the force of a fire truck, a skin-crawling howl ending abruptly as its jaw fastened painfully around his exposed left arm. Sharp, pointed teeth pierced his sleeve, ripping the fabric of his coat and tearing into his flesh. Heero swore furiously as his back collided with a jarring thud against the dirt path, over two hundred pounds of angry wolf above him. Jagged claws flashed across his torso, leaving trails of blood in their wake. He wanted nothing more then to strike back; just basic self-defense, but it weighed so much more than he did...

It was snapping at his face now and his arm was slowly going numb, but he felt tired and drowsy. His alarm at the situation increased. He was being attacked by something that most likely wanted to _eat _him and he felt _tired_? By all rights he should be full of adrenaline, senses sharpened by the need to guarantee the continued existence of his life. But…it didn't matter how fiercely his brain and logic fought to keep him moving, his vision was going blurry and his left arm had nearly lost all sensation, so…

The heavy weight on his chest was suddenly gone; Heero wasn't quite positive of exactly what happened because the fight to keep his eyes open was gradually becoming a lost cause. He tried to raise himself off the ground and stand; he couldn't lay here in the open, exposed pathway and expect to be safe now that the immediate danger was past—

The full moon was out from behind the clouds again.

But his body was incapable of all voluntary movement—the most he could do was roll onto his side and try to bring his knees up under himself, but they weren't cooperating. He heard noise somewhere nearby, but he couldn't define it; a tingling born in his fingertips spread through his system like his veins were on fire. The pain in his arm was completely absent, replaced by a feeling of lacking the limb altogether. He tried to focus on the throbbing in his head so he could block it out, but it relentlessly expanded without any regard for his tolerance of pain, which was already higher than most people's—

Then he blacked out, and the gorgeous full moon's mocking face was the last thing he saw.

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Author's Note: I added a lot of imagery here compared to what the original version of this chapter had. Wow. Tell me what you think! This is a little different then my usual AU story ideas, but I've thought it out fairly well. And I felt it was appropriate giving Heero a past with the Air Force considering how much time he spends flying around space in the anime. So once again, please review and visit my poll on my profile page!


	2. When You Were Young

**Warning:** Language, shonen-ai, yaoi, supernaturalness, maybe some OOC-ness (it's impossible to avoid since I'm not the creator of GW, but I can certainly try).

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. I just use them like actors in a movie and I claim no rights at all to them.

**Author's Note:** And the main characters are all aged twenty or older, so there. I got this general idea from a trilogy I read by Stephen Cole. Extra kudos to whoever can tell me the series name! Lol. I borrowed the chapter title from The Killers's song of the same name; I love that song! Leave me your opinions and thoughts; it takes less time to leave a review than you think! Thank you. And the general opinion seems to border on putting 2x5 together? Yes? We'll see how it goes in the big picture. And lastly, Duo's Journal! This is important for the little details that I can't fit into the main picture without creating small, pointless scenes or tons of flashbacks. This is easier. Plus it's fun. XD

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Chapter Two: "When You Were Young"

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"Hey, Trowa, Snow White's awake!"

Soft, deliberate footsteps entered the room and paused beside him. "He's not Snow White."

"Sure he is. All he needs is a kiss from a Prince to wake him up."

A quiet snort. "I thought you said he was awake?"

"Well, he's conscious. I dunno when he'll let me see what color eyes he's got though."

"They're blue."

A silence followed the quiet declaration and somebody sitting in a chair shifted position, somebody wearing jeans.

"How the hell do you know?!"

"I hired him."

"Eh?"

"Three days ago."

"Oh, so this's the new guy?" The chair creaked as someone's weight shifted and he could feel someone's eyes on him. "Not bad looking," the voice admitted. "Kinda young though, don't you think?"

"He's older than you."

"So?"

"Almost three years older."

"And your point?" The voice sounded testy now.

"He's not that young, Duo, compared to some other people I know."

Heero's eyes blinked open. The ceiling had been painted a light blue color.

"Lookie there!"

He immediately turned in the direction of the exclamation, eyes snapping to the braided man sitting on a backwards chair beside his bed. Intense violet eyes watched him intently before a broad grin spread across his face. "Hello, Princess!"

Blue eyes skimmed over the stranger's features, committing them to memory. The other man waited patiently for him to finish, but his own gaze was calculating.

"Are you hungry, Mr. Yuy?" A familiar voice asked.

Both of the other men's stares were on him before he'd even finished his question.

Trowa Barton.

Confusion creased Heero's brow. What was going on?

"What are you doing here?" Heero asked before he could stop himself.

The man with the braid sniggered, shoving his face into his arms folded along the back of the chair to try to muffle the noise.

Trowa gave him a warning look.

"Sorry," the man—he must be Duo—muttered, avoiding the taller man's steady gaze. He bit his lip to stop the smile from taking over his face, but his eyes were still laughing.

Trowa turned back to Heero. "You're in my house," he said quietly.

_In Trowa Barton's house?_

Heero immediately tried to sit up, wanting to see the room he was in. His face contorted in agony as every wound across his stomach reopened, but he grit his teeth and said nothing.

Duo was up and beside him in an instant. "Whoa, slow down there, stud," he insisted, all laughter replaced by concern. "Don't do anything hasty." Strong hands pushed him back to the mattress, one reaching down and flipping the faded bed sheets to the end of the bed.

Trowa's normally emotionless face was frowning as he approached them.

Blood seeped slowly through the once-sterile bandages wrapped around Heero's torso, staining the fabric red.

Duo paused as he reached for one of the strips of gauze, eyes straying to the red liquid spreading across Heero's stomach like some delicate ink design.

Heero's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Duo's face and the shifting emotions flickering on his frozen features. Tension, wariness, fear, nausea…

"Duo," Trowa said calmly, moving to a small table next to Heero's bed with a first aid kit and several bottles.

The violet-eyed man didn't even acknowledge his own name, nothing but careful breathing and steady staring.

Trowa turned sharp eyes on him. "_Duo._"

Duo whirled to face him as though he'd been electrified. "What?" he asked breathlessly.

"There's more gauze in the downstairs bathroom. And we need something to eat."

The braided man stared at Trowa blankly like the other man was speaking Russian.

The HISA President and CEO raised an auburn eyebrow.

Duo blinked rapidly in an effort to pull himself out of his trance. "What?" he repeated.

"Gauze. Food. Downstairs. Now."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Duo hurriedly backed away from the bed, giving Heero an uneasy look. "I'll be back."

He fled into the hallway. Heero could hear Duo's rapid footsteps all the way to what must have been a staircase before they finally faded.

Heero looked at Trowa, who was unraveling a roll of sterile gauze. "Hematophobia?"

Trowa shrugged unconcernedly. "He doesn't handle blood very well."

The injured man stared at the newly-ruined bandages around his chest and stomach. "So this is your work?"

The other man didn't respond, only sparing him a brief glance before returning his attention to the objects in his hands. He advanced with his supplies and set them on the end of the bed. "You need to sit up so I can re-dress your wounds."

"I can sit up on my own."

"I noticed," Trowa said dryly. "But I'm going to help you this time." His tone booked no argument.

It had no effect on Heero whatsoever. "I don't need—"

"Don't move your arm," Trowa interrupted calmly as though Heero hadn't said a thing. "It's still healing."

_Still…?_

"How long has it been?" Heero asked urgently, catching Trowa's jade eyes. A nice color, really.

"Your third day; it's 1800."

_Six in the evening, three days later…damn._

Trowa yanked Heero's pillow out from under his head and propped it up against the headboard, catching him completely unawares and causing the other man's skull to thump against the mattress. Heero gave him a dirty look. Trowa ignored him.

Blue eyes shifted to examine his thoroughly wrapped left arm. Heero flexed his stiff fingers experimentally, not even flinching at the stab of pain that flew up the limb at the movement. "How bad was it?"

Trowa moved out of his line of sight, which irritated Heero for some reason. "It looked worse than it was."

Long, cool fingers slid beneath his shoulder blades and hooked under his arms, making him startlingly aware of Trowa's exact position behind him, one knee resting next to Heero's stolen pillow. "Ready?" Trowa asked softly.

Heero didn't say anything in return, closing his eyes for a moment and focusing instead on the other man. He could hear Trowa's steady, soft breathing; he could sense every slight movement Trowa made that let him pinpoint exactly where he was without seeing him; he could smell him: a clean, natural smell with no aftershaves or colognes that stored itself away in his memory.

Then Trowa decided that he'd waited long enough for an answer that wasn't coming and lifted Heero up, sliding the dark-haired man up the bed until he was sitting up against the headboard.

He was strong. The sudden show of strength wiped the indignity of the situation from Heero's mind.

The auburn-haired CEO was standing next to him, removing his hands from Heero as they passed over the bare skin of his back. "Okay?"

"Hn."

Heero watched Trowa critically while he collected his materials. His tall lean frame certainly didn't display the strength he'd just exhibited. Kneeling off to the side like he had was actually an awkward position to be lifting anything, let alone a hundred and seventy-five pound man.

But who knew what was going on under that dark green dress shirt of his? A man like Trowa Barton probably worked out every day in his very own private gym. Appearances were often deceiving.

Trowa dumped the medical supplies unceremoniously in Heero's lap, disregarding the unappreciative glare the wounded man gave him.

"What's all this for?"

"You."

"I said 'what', not 'who'."

"What do you think it's for?" Trowa replied without looking up, meticulously unwrapping Heero's dirty bandages and simultaneously managing to let Heero's biting retort slide off him as he reigned in his own smart answer.

Heero picked up a small brown bottle with his good right hand and read the label. "I don't need a disinfectant."

"Just in case."

"In case what?"

"In case it gets infected," Trowa persisted serenely, dropping the blood-soaked bandages in a bucket by the table.

"It won't get infected," Heero said matter-of-factly, face stoic.

"That's what Duo said the last time he got hurt."

"The last time?"

"Three days ago."

Heero's memory rewound itself. "That's when—"

"Duo's the one who found you," Trowa told him quietly, wiping Heero's exposed stomach free of blood with a clean cloth, followed by an unwanted addition of disinfectant. Strong muscles under his fingers clenched at the contact. "It's a good thing he found you when he did. You were already unconscious. He carried you out of the park where I picked you both up." Trowa fixed him with a piercing stare. "Something attacked him, so you were…?"

Heero picked up the roll of gauze and handed it to Trowa reluctantly. As much as he wanted to do it himself, he really wasn't in any condition to and his boss probably wouldn't let him.

"He healed fast." Heero said, unwilling to answer the unasked question

"He only had a few scratches," Trowa replied, unruffled as always. "Unlike you."

"Hn."

Trowa slowly wrapped the clean white strips around the other man's torso, effectively invading Heero's personal space as the gauze passed from back to front.

Heero remained perfectly still, not liking the feeling of someone so close to him. It was distracting, in a confusing sort of way, and Heero Yuy did not cope well with confusion on the rare occasions when he encountered that particular emotion. Heat radiated from Trowa's form as he worked quickly and efficiently, fingertips grazing Heero's side as he tied off the new bandages seconds later.

Moving away to the table, Trowa wiped his hands on a clean towel and let his eyes scrutinize his handiwork. "It'll do. Duo's better at that than I am."

"I thought he couldn't handle blood?" Heero asked with a frown, giving the other man a strange look.

"Well, he can, to a degree," Trowa admitted slowly, remembering past experiences. "But not heavy bleeding or serious wounds." Heero handed him the supplies spread over his lap one at a time, which Trowa arranged neatly in the first aid kit sitting on the table. He couldn't use his left arm without it twinging at the slightest movement.

"How's your arm?" Trowa inquired as though he possessed the skills of a mind reader.

Heero gave him a blank look. "Fine."

The auburn-haired man turned to gaze at him, coolly meeting his eyes as he assessed the truth for himself. According to Duo, 'fine' meant 'it hurts like hell, but I'll never tell _you_ that.' Apparently the same rule applied to Heero.

"You should be able to use it by tomorrow," Trowa decided, still watching him closely. "I'll have to change that dressing again, too."

Heero glanced around the room, taking in a window a couple of feet away, the door on the other side of the room, and a tiny closet off to the side.

"I'll do it myself," Heero informed Trowa, glaring at him with flinty eyes. "I'm not an invalid."

The CEO didn't say anything for a moment. Then he sighed, his hair fluttering, eyes momentarily closing. "You're like Duo."

Heero waited for Trowa to elaborate, noticing the warmth lurking behind his eyes.

"He doesn't let anyone tend his wounds," Trowa said softly, looking at the surface of the table. "He won't let anyone near him when he's injured, even me." He turned Duo's chair around properly and sat in it, crossing his legs and folding his arms. "Well, except for Wufei."

"Wufei?"

"His supervisor."

Heero glanced up at Trowa's calmly composed face, faintly wondering how the other man knew Duo so well. "Where does he work?"

A ghost of a smile passed through jade green eyes. "They work for me."

Staring at Trowa Barton, Heero fully realized how powerful the man seated next to him was. "So Duo's your employee…?"

"And my younger brother."

"Hey, family history's private, kiddo," Duo's voice came from the doorway, a tray of food in his hands and a frown on his face. "So be quiet, Tro."

The violet-eyed man glanced at Heero, all his uneasiness from earlier gone. He set the tray on the table next Trowa.

Trowa shrugged. "I was just telling him about you and Wufei."

Duo stiffened and turned slowly to face Trowa, glaring suspiciously at him. "What about me and Wufei?"

The CEO gazed pointedly at the far corner of the room, away from the braided man with his hands on his hips. "Nothing."

Duo's eyes narrowed. "But you said—"

"You told me to be quiet."

"Trowa!" Duo wailed, his expression disbelieving and horrified as he shook the older man by the shoulders. "Don't be cruel! What did you say?"

Trowa fought to hide a smirk. "Just that he's your supervisor."

Duo turned slitted eyes on Heero. "Is that all he said? That's all?"

Heero nodded warily, noticing faint scratch lines across Duo's right cheek. Violet eyes burned into his, attempting to discover if Heero was telling the truth or not.

"Don't scare him, Duo," Trowa deadpanned, once again calm and in control.

Duo ignored him. "And for your information, Mr. Newly Hired, we're adopted. Like I'd want to be related to—" he pointed an accusing finger at Trowa "—_that_ creep."

"Duo," Trowa protested. "I'm hurt."

"You should be," Duo snapped, snatching two plates off the newly arrived tray. "And _you_ will have to come downstairs if you want to eat."

"Duo, don't be like this," Trowa said, rising out of his chair. "He needs—"

"Whatz-His-Name is a big boy now," Duo interrupted waspishly, striding to the door with his chestnut braid swinging behind him. "I'm sure the idea of spending the night in this nice, comfortable room doesn't scare him. And you changed his bandages—which you need to bring downstairs, by the way—so he shouldn't need anything for a bit." Over his shoulder, he narrowed his eyes at Trowa. "You and I, on the other hand, need to talk."

Trowa ran a hand over his face, imagining the prospect of imminent doom. "Very well."

"'Very well,'" Duo mimicked scathingly. "You 'very well' better get yer butt downstairs in the next two minutes. Don't make me come back up here!" he threatened. Turning sharply, he slammed the door shut with his foot.

There was a long silence as Duo's footsteps stomped back down the hallway to the stairs.

Trowa took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his hands coming up to massage his temples.

"Sensitive subject," Heero observed, still staring at the door. Not exactly something most people got riled up about.

"Hmmm," Trowa agreed, glancing at him.

He shook his head and looked at the table. Picking up the tray containing the last plate of food, he set it on Heero's legs. One of us will be back to pick up your dishes. Probably me."

Heero examined the plate in front of him. It had a metal cover over it to keep the food warm, so he had no idea what it was.

The auburn-haired man pushed the table next to Heero's bed. "Just set them here when you're done."

Heero raised his eyes to look at Trowa, who gazed calmly back at him. "I suppose I should thank you. And Duo."

Trowa broke eye contact, picking up the bucket with Heero's old bandages and heading for the door. "You can thank me when you come to work on Monday," he said quietly. He watched impassively from the doorway. "Goodnight, Mr. Yuy."

And the door clicked shut.

XXXXX

_Hey, Journal, how's it hanging?_

'_Member how Dad said it'd be a good idea to write down my thoughts and shit? Yeah, I know, I've been slacking off. It's been a couple years; so sue me. Besides, Dad's not around to remind me to take some "Quiet Time". Kinda wish he was though. He died about four years ago._

_I wonder what he'd say if he knew his youngest son had a crush on his supervisor? For about, oh, I don't know, ten years, five months, one week, four days, three hours, and twenty-seven minutes going on thirty seconds._

_Okay, I know, you can stop laughing now. I'm pathetic. I've got it bad. Ever since Tro brought home his college roommate for Spring Break all those years ago. But it's not my fault, really, it's not. It's Trowa's fault. It always is. I mean, he didn't even warn me at all. Didn't even let us know he was bringing a friend until he rang the doorbell._

_He could have told me, "Duo, you know that guy I've vaguely mentioned in my letters? My roommate? Well, he's this really hot Chinese guy with gorgeous hair, a great body, and the dead sexiest voice you've ever heard. And he's spending Break with us, so don't wear something that makes you look like a gothic garbage heap, okay? Preferably something not all black and full of holes."_

_I would have appreciated that. I really would have. Jeeze, is a hottie warning so much to ask for? Honestly._

_But when I opened the front door that warm Friday evening expecting to see my doofus of an older brother, ALONE, all I could do was stare at the stranger just behind him. Damn did I look like an idiot. Heh. I knew it at the time too, but I couldn't do anything about it. Just kinda stood there numbly holding the doorknob as Trowa pushed his way into the house (well, 'pushed' isn't exactly the right word—more like gently moved my stupefied self off to the side so he and his friend could actually come in) with suitcases and the sexy guy in tow. They set their bags on the rug in the foyer and Tro peeled me off the door, closed it, and dragged me over to where his friend was standing. Introductions followed._

_Trowa put one hand on my shoulder and looked at his roommate. "This is my younger brother, Duo." Or something like that. My brain wasn't working properly at the time, so I dunno what he said. Not that it ever does, but hey, whatever. Maybe he didn't say anything—you know how Trowa is. Well, okay, you're a new book, so you don't. But he doesn't say much._

_His roommate nodded, and even though it wasn't on his face there was a smile in his eyes. "I've heard a lot about you," he told me. Then he gave a small formal bow and looked me in the eyes. "Chang Wufei. I'm honored to have finally met you."_

_I remember every word he said. What he said, how he said it—you name it, if it's about him, I'll remember it. And I could tell he really meant it._

_Every time I remember that moment I feel this little ball of warmth and happiness inside me, ya know? Have you ever felt that before? God, it's a great feeling. I can feel it now._

_The moment his eyes met mine, I knew. I just _knew_. A little thrill ran through me, that he was the one. So what if he was a guy? I'd never liked a guy before, didn't know anyone that did. Didn't matter. Hell, it still doesn't. So what if I was only seventeen at the time? He was only two years older than me, the same age as Tro. So what? I fell in love and man did I fall _hard._ Completely lovestruck in less than a minute. Completely. Must be a record. I'm still in love with him._

_And it hurts so bad to admit it, but I'm not delusional, despite what some other people might say. I know when reality stops and my imagination starts. If anyone knows that, it's me. He doesn't feel the same way—doesn't love me back. Okay, deep breath. Or two. Shit, it hurts just writing it. It hurts so bad, you have no idea. Because I can't let go. It's not that I don't want to, I _can't._ It's not possible. When I get around to filling you in on things, you'll understand, but not now. It's too depressing. Wufei and I will always be connected. And it's Trowa's fault. Again._

_I harassed Tro all the time about Wufei. Wrote tons of letters, called him (I hung up if Wufei answered, cuz I just couldn't talk to him without sounding like an idiot), emailed him, everything. And he was patient about it too, but I could tell what he was thinking. That it was just puppy love. That I'd move on eventually, maybe when I went to college myself. And I know Trowa's worried about me because I haven't._

_I've been waiting ten years. TEN YEARS. That's a fucking long time to wait. But how can I move on? Even if I did, we'd still be connected, and he still wouldn't realize it. And I can't just tell him. It's not that simple. I wish it was, because Heaven knows I wouldn't have a problem with that. He's my Anchor, I know he is. It's not just a matter of love; it's more than that. Sometimes I want to scream and throw a tantrum. Sometimes I feel like throwing things out of pure frustration. Most times I just want to sexually assault him. I, personally, think that would be the quickest way to getting him to understand. Trowa disagrees. Dearest Big Brother has never actually come out and said it, but he thinks I can't handle Wufei's cute little Asian butt. He's wrong. I think we'd be pretty well matched in a fight. Assuming I could stay focused, anyway._

_Trowa said if it happens, he is not bailing me out of jail. And he will not tell me Wufei's new address once he's left the country. He has no sense of humor._

_Nothing in my life is ever simple._

_No, seriously, like just the other day I found this dude in the park. I won't give details—that would take too long and I've been feeling kinda tired since Wednesday. Too much stress. Anywho, Tro apparently just hired this guy. I got my suspicions, but I'll keep 'em on the low for now. I told Tro, but we'll have to wait and see. He really made me mad tonight. Stupid jerk. He better leave me alone about Wufei. If he ever finds someone, he'll never live it down._

_Anyway, this guy—Tro keeps calling him Mr. Yuy, but he's formal with everyone. I'll have to find out his first name—was attacked by a wolf. Not just any wolf. Perfectly normal, right? Not. I had to fight it off and wait for Tro to come pick us up. It was a long night, let me tell you. I couldn't handle the blood (yes, I know, explanations will come later, promise) so I had to let Big Bro do most of the work. He's okay now though._

_In fact, he woke up today, right on schedule. And that's why I'm worried. I seriously hope it's not what I think it means. I spent my days off from work looking after him, but I had to go back to work today so Tro stayed home with him. I only get so much vacation/sick time, but Tro's the Big Bad Boss, so he gets off whenever._

_So this Yuy guy seems okay, everything healing nicely. More blood today, more bad reactions on my part. Ah, well, what can I say? I'll get over it. But he's—_

_What was that? Something fragile shattered, that's for sure. Is Trowa trying to cook in the kitchen again? I told him to stay out of there. Lemme go check._

_Back in a sec,_

_Duo_

_XXXXX_

**Author's Note:** Hmm, chapter two…not a whole lot of editing needed here, I think, so that's a relief on my part. Whew. So whaddaya think? Make sure you review, because it's really you guys that inspire me to keep updating. Otherwise it all just stays inside my head..so review!


	3. Standing in the Moonlight

**Warning:** Language, shonen-ai, yaoi, supernaturalness, maybe some OOC-ness (it's impossible to avoid since I'm not the creator of GW, but I can certainly try).

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Gundam Wing or the characters. I just use them like actors in a movie and I claim no rights at all to them.

**Author's Note:** Loooooong time between updates here, goodness. I won't tell you how long I've had this chapter sitting around untyped, then. I have so much going on…oh wow. If only I had more hours in a day. XD Hopefully this will meet your standards and next chapter the good stuff begins! Such as the arrival of Wufei! Yay! Something to look forward to. So if you could drop me a review at the end, I would appreciate it!

xxxxx

Chapter Three: Standing in the Moonlight

xxxxx

He'd been staring at the ceiling since Trowa left, mind drifting and vaguely sensing the gradual setting of the sun and darkening of the sky; simply listening to fuzzy voices floating up from the first floor with the occasional clear phrase or two.

But the house was quiet as a grave now, the room darker than it had been five hours ago. His dinner dishes lay scattered across the nearby tabletop, completely ignored by the man who'd used them. No one had come to collect them yet.

Outside the covered window there were no sounds. No nature noises, no wind, nothing. There was the sporadic scratch of tree branches against the window pane as some small creature skittered along it, but not much else. An owl hooted from far away, making its presence known in the still silence.

_Moonlight._

The thought had barely entered his head before Heero felt himself trying to sit up, attempting to raise himself onto his elbows. He tried to force himself to pause and rationally consider what he was doing, or more importantly, _why_, because there was absolutely nothing in the room that warranted his immediate attention. Yet for the first time in his life, his body was ignoring every command sent from his brain, and the very feeling of being out of control set off every alarm in his head. His left arm twinged in protest as he used it to support his weight but he kept moving, dragging his legs over the edge of the bed until he reached a sitting position.

There was no sense of directed thought or conscious decision to move; just the fragmented knowledge that the window was calling to him. As though from a distance, Heero felt the ache in his abdomen while mending muscles did their best to keep themselves from being reopened, but it didn't register as any sort of priority. Stiff legs bent slowly, raising the battered body from the bed in an almost dreamlike trance as they placed one foot in front of the other in a cautious, steady line to the window.

The table was blocking his way.

His right hand reached out on its own, arm tensing, and with a sudden burst of strength shoved the wooden object out of his path, practically knocking it over and sending the tray and various dinner dishes to the floor with a crash akin to windows shattering. He moved past the wreckage, past the chair, until he was standing before the dark drapery with the tough, heavy fabric under his hands.

He heard movement downstairs, someone's door opening and firm footsteps across a carpeted surface. Strong fingers tightened on the curtains in a few moments of indecision when he felt it again—not that something was pulling him, but that something _inside_ him was attracted to an outside force.

Heero's hands flexed for a second, then yanked the fabric back away from the glass. Soft light spilled into the room, illuminating the figure before the window, the bed, the scattered remains of the dishes, the door. Gradually, blue eyes rose upward to find the source of so much light.

The moon.

Instantly, every joint in his body locked, drawn taut as a wire. Unable to tear his eyes away from their position, he ran a quick, panicked check on his other senses, but all he could do was listen. The footsteps he'd heard were moving faster now and starting up the staircase to his room. A harsh roaring started in his ears, growing louder and more intense until it overwhelmed everything else, drowning out the footsteps, the creak of floorboards, his own ragged breathing. Like the sound of an enormous vacuum.

Pain ignited unexpectedly behind his eyes, so Heero instinctively closed them, followed by his hands which flew up in an attempt to muffle the throbbing in the inflamed area. It settled there for a few moments—several long, confused moments—before spreading rapidly like arson along the main pathways of his body: blood vessels, nerves, lungs, _everything_. Every inch of exposed skin burned where the moonlight hit it, coating him in an intangible acid of pure agony. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe, yet was curiously deaf. He couldn't tell if he was screaming or not; it felt as though his throat had been scraped with a metal file, but his lungs ached with a lack of oxygen. Clammy fingers left his eyes to yank sharply at his hair, nearly pulling it out of his scalp.

The hard wood floor was smooth and cool under his knees; he wasn't standing anymore, when had he fallen…?

The door to the room banged open, three quick steps, and then someone was kneeling alongside him. "What the—"

_Duo,_ Heero thought briefly before the other man's fingers lit upon his arm.

A hoarse cry of pain escaped Heero's mouth as he snatched his arm away from Duo and out of reach. He could sense where each of Duo's fingers had touched him like a brand.

"Yuy, calm down and—you opened the curtain?! You're not ready to be walking around yet, you blockhead!"

Out of the corner of Heero's eyes, he saw hands reaching for him.

"Look, we have to—"

"_Don't touch me!"_

Duo froze, wavering between Heero's strongly uttered order and his own determination.

The fire in his veins seemed to be intensifying, but he forced himself to breathe, if nothing else. Even that uncooperative effort was choppy and uncoordinated, each breath clawing its way out of his throat and struggling to inhale air back in.

The braided man shot to his feet, turning in one swift motion and violently yanking the curtains closed. "TROWA!"

With the re-introduction of darkness, the pain dimmed abruptly. Heero stayed huddled on the floor, shaking, furiously fighting to reassert control over his limbs and battling the pain within the confines of a reasonable amount he was capable of handling.

The light clicked on with Trowa's silent arrival, green eyes blinking rapidly in the bright light. "What's going on?"

Duo's face was pale with worry. "He opened the curtains, Tro, he shouldn't be—"

Trowa was on the floor beside Heero before his brother finished speaking, threading his fingers firmly through Heero's hair and harshly jerking the other man's head back so his face could be seen. "What are you doing out of bed?"

Immediately, cool relief flowed from the taller man's fingertips to Heero's scalp, almost making him gasp.

Trowa seemed to understand that Heero was unable to answer the question. "Look at me."

Heero refused. It wasn't right that Trowa, of all people, had to see him like this. His own boss. What exactly was wrong with him, anyway. He had no allergy to light or any sort. He had _never_ been in anything remotely close to that much pain before.

"_Look at me,_" Trowa demanded sharply, his voice tense with something Heero couldn't identify in his currently rattled state.

His gaze snapped up almost against his will to meet Trowa's. Green eyes stared at him with startling intensity, gauging how hurt he actually was.

"His pupils are dilated," Trowa said finally to Duo. "He's in shock. Get him something to drink."

Duo vanished into the hallway, and Heero could hear him moving through the house, all the way to the kitchen, opening a cupboard…

The sensation of Trowa's hands on his upper arms pulled his attention back to the man in front of him. And all that relief, sweet relief, traveled down his arms from an unending source, chasing all that hellish agony back to wherever it belonged. A shudder ran down his spine as something in a shadowy corner of his mind clicked into place, and Heero got the feeling that he'd be seeing a lot of Trowa Barton in the future.

"Can you stand?" Trowa asked softly, causing the small hairs on the back of Heero's neck to stand on end.

In response, Heero shifted from his knees to his feet and reluctantly allowed Trowa to guide him until he was standing. Despite how carefully they'd moved, a wave of vertigo slammed into him when he paused for a few mere moments and took him by surprise. Within seconds, his entire span of vision blacked out, leaving him in total darkness with no sense of balance. He felt his body swaying without really knowing where he was until strong arms wrapped around him, tightening a little but not enough to make him feel too uncomfortable.

Duo's footsteps entered the room again and there was the clink of glass being set down on the wooden table.

Slowly, spots of color flickered into existence, light blues and grays…oh, wait, that was Trowa's shirt. Apparently he was a bit closer than Heero had assumed he was. Then the picture swam into startling focus.

Heero pushed away from Trowa rather roughly, vaguely angry at himself for a reason he couldn't quite grasp. "I'm fine, Trowa. Let go." His last words dissolved in a series of rapid coughs.

Wordlessly, Trowa handed him the water Duo had placed on the table.

Duo watched them both with sharp eyes, his fingers searching for shards of Heero's broken plates on the floor and piling them on the serving tray, glancing furtively from one man from the other.

Returning the glass to its place after only a couple of sips, Heero gritted his teeth and let himself lean on the table as he gathered the willpower to make it back to the bed on his own. The idea seemed so difficult to go through with, now. Sensing someone staring at him, he looked up and caught Duo's gaze. Violet orbs darted away, a frown appearing on the braided man's face.

Heero's own eyes narrowed in return, and he was about to say something about it when Trowa gripped him firmly by the shoulders, backed him up five steps, and sat him on the edge of the bed. Heero glared at him.

Trowa ignored the look that could have frozen the sun. "Duo, will you—"

"Yeah, yeah, already on it," Duo muttered, standing up with the tray of broken porcelain in his hands. "The Errand Boy is doing his job, don't worry about it."

"Duo," Trowa said softly in quiet apology. "I didn't mean—"

"Whatever. Be back in a sec." He left again, irritation hovering around him like a cloud.

Heero glanced at Trowa, who was still gazing at the empty doorway. Again. The taller man ran a hand along the back of his head, running his fingertips among the short hairs there. He found himself unconsciously following their movement: through auburn hair, down the strong line of his neck to rest on his hip.

A wave of anger swiftly crushed Heero's feelings of unease and uncertainty as he tore his eyes away from the sight. What exactly was he doing, staring at his boss as though he was…he was…Heero couldn't even think of an adequate comparison, so he left the thought unfinished. Heero twisted abruptly and threw his legs up on the bed.

_You're losing it, Yuy,_ he told himself furiously, attempting to ignore the persistent undercurrent of anxiety and some other nameless force he'd prefer not to acknowledge. _All that time spent building up a tolerance to pain, self-control, self-reliance, swept away in less than an hour. Your father would be disgusted._

Trowa stood nearby, merely observing him, somehow sensing his fury and keeping his distance. "Did they reopen?"

Heero stared down at his bandage-covered chest, noting a distinct lack of blood this time around. "No." The wounds were a little sore and his nerves still thrummed with a residue of leftover pain, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "I'm fine."

Trowa's face remained expressionless, so Heero couldn't tell if he believed him or not.

Duo sauntered back into the room just as an uneasy silence fell between them. He plopped himself into the abandoned chair, slouching in it like a six-year-old and giving his brother a pointed look, complete with a raised eyebrow.

Trowa's eyes moved past Duo to Heero. "I'll see you in the morning, Mr. Yuy," he said calmly. "Work hours begin at six-thirty." Crossing the room in an obscenely small amount of steps, he gave Heero one last glance before shutting the door soundly behind him.

"Work…? Tomorrow's Monday…?" A strong warning tickled the back of Heero's brain.

"Yuuuuuupers," Duo drawled, folding his arms and shifting to a position that was only marginally less uncomfortable. "Back to the grindstone. You slept the whole weekend away, Sleeping Beauty."

Heero glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

Duo faked a yawn, stretching obnoxiously to annoy his one-man audience. "Babysitting."

Heero scowled at him. "I don't need a babysitter, Duo." He narrowed his eyes. "Get out."

Trowa's brother presented Heero with an incredulous look, as though his charge had lost his sanity. "After what just happened? You gotta be shitting me. No way, man." He shook his head. "If I so much as fall asleep on you Trowa'll skin me alive and eat me for breakfast. I guarantee it."

"I'm not going anywhere," Heero said irritably.

"Damn right you aren't," Duo said agreeably, smirking. "Not 'til tomorrow, anyway."

Right. Work. First day on the job. But he didn't have anything with him—not his computer, his gun, clothes…

Heero frowned. "What happened to my shirt and coat? They—"

"We burned 'em. Shirt, coat, tie, the whole shebang," Duo interrupted.

Bluish-gray eyes stared at him in unsure astonishment.

"If you'd seen the state they were in, you'd have done the same thing, trust me," Duo added defensively. "I mean seriously, we did you a favor."

"So what am I wearing to work tomorrow, then?" Heero asked wearily, pushing his bangs away from his forehead.

Duo waved a hand as though to brush his worries away. "Don't worry about it, my man. We'll find ya something or other."

"Hn." Heero eyed Duo distrustfully. "That doesn't reassure me."

"Why don't you get some sleep," Duo suggested. "It'll be a long day, considering you won't be spending it lounging around in bed like the princess you obviously are."

"I'm not _lounging_," Heero snapped. "And _princess_?"

"Sure you are," Duo retorted, unruffled. "Lucky duck."

"How am I supposed to sleep with _you_ here?"

"I dunno, count sheep, blessings, dust motes, whatever," the violet-eyed man shrugged, interlocking his fingers behind his head as though that would help him sleep. "I'm just here to make sure your butt stays in bed. Trowa should be paying me overtime."

Heero glanced at him impassively. "I'll be fine."

Duo snorted. "Please. After your magnetic attraction to your window? You're probably sore and tired as hell."

Face morphing into a frown, Heero examined the casually dressed man sitting beside him. That was exactly what it had been like…an undeniable impulse to open those drapes. He ached all over too…but how did Duo know that? Was it that obvious?

"You look like hell, Yuy," the braided man reported. "Go to sleep. Or you'll scare your coworkers tomorrow. Of course, you might end up doing that anyway."

"My name is Heero," the blue-eyed man replied, a faint hint of impatience tainting his words.

Surprise flitted across Duo's face at the unexpected response. A crooked grin appeared moments later, making him look unusually animated for so late at night. Just looking at him made Heero tired.

"Well, _Heero_, I'll wake you in the morning," Duo told him, still grinning. "We've only got four hours or so…"

Heero nodded, settling down to get at least some rest before the next day's arrival. There wasn't anything more important than sleep right now.

The chair creaked as Duo moved again, trying to get as comfortable as possible. They let the silence grow between them, both of them comfortable in it, not at all minding the lack of conversation.

In the quiet and the darkness, Heero felt his mind shutting down, preparing for sleep and the chance to recharge. It was hard to stop his eyes from closing when the rest of his body protested every second they remained open. He was aware of Duo's position beside him, fully alert and aware of Heero's movement even without constantly watching him…

And the next thing Heero knew, it was five o'clock Monday morning.

XXXXX

**Author's Note:** Relatively short chapter compared to the other two. It certainly didn't seem like it thought. Such big paragraphs…that nearly killed me right there, it really did. So little dialogue, so much description. It's been awhile since I've done that. It's exhausting. I need sleep now. XD But first, please leave a review and let me know what you think! And now…I think I hear Dreamland calling…


End file.
